X-ray film identification means

ABSTRACT

Means for contrastingly projecting X-rays for identification purposes upon an X-ray film carried by a cassette include, at the front face of the cassette (the side facing the radiation source), an indicia sheet of X-ray opaque material form which a plurality of identifying characters have been punched out, and imperforate X-ray absorbent sheet material interposed between said indicia sheet and the radiation source for attenuating the radiation beam passing to said indicia sheet. The indicia sheet and the imperforate sheet material, which are arranged to be subjected to X-rays simultaneously with the imposing of such radiation upon the person or thing to be identified, may be varied in their relative opacities and in their cumulative opacity, depending upon the radiation strength and the X-ray absorption characteristic of the subject being photographed. Said indicia sheet and imperforate sheet material are advantageously separably associated with a suitable indicia carrier.

United States Patent Panzer [54] X-RAY FILM HDENTIFICATION MEANS [72]Inventor: Norman Panzer, 71 Blanchard Rd, South Orange, NJ. 07079 [22]Filed: Aug. 3, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 60,311

[52] US. Cl ..250/67, 250/86 [51] Int. Cl. ..G03b 17/26 [58] Field ofSearch ..250/65, 67, 86

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,064 6/1938 Buckleyw,..250/67 2,162,420 6/1939 Buckley ..250/67 2,390,397 12/1945 Stadler..250/67 3,518,428 6/1970 Ring ..250/67 1,535,359 4/1925 Tousey ..250/86[451 June 6, 1972 Primary Examiner-William F. Lindquist Attorney-RobertHenderson [57] ABSTRACT Means for contrastingly projecting X-rays foridentification purposes upon an X-ray film carried by a cassetteinclude, at the front face of the cassette (the side facing theradiation source), an indicia sheet of X-ray opaque material form whicha plurality of identifying characters have been punched out, andimperforate X-ray absorbent sheet material interposed between saidindicia sheet and the radiation source for attenuating the radiationbeam passing to said indicia sheet. The indicia sheet and theimperforate sheet material, which are arranged'to be subjected to X-rayssimultaneously with the imposing of such radiation upon the person orthing to be identified, may be varied in their relative opacities and intheir cumulative opacity, depending upon the radiation strength and theX-ray absorption characteristic of the subject being photographed. Saidindicia sheet and imperforate sheet material are advantageouslyseparably associated with a suitable indicia carrier.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Jil I RADIATION SOURCE X-RAY FILMIDENTIFICATION MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One identificationarrangement hitherto quite generally employed, involves the provision ofa suitable number of fonts of alphabetical and/or numerical characters,the characters in the fonts having been stamped out separately fromsheetlead of suitable thickness. For providing identification for a filmto be exposed, the characters are individually selected from the font orfonts and are individually placed in a carrier in association with acassette to form identifying-matter upon the film simultaneously withthe X-ray exposure upon the person or thing being photographed. Theselecting of the lead characters and placing them in the carrier is anoperation quite similar to hand setting of type in the printingindustry.

A serious disadvantage of the just mentioned prior practice resides inthe fact that the characters must be separately handled initially todistribute them into proper compartments of a storage container, andmust be separately selected and handled to compose the desiredidentifying legend and to restore them to the proper compartments aftereach usage. This is very time consuming. Errors in such distributioninevitably occur, thereby increasing the time required for using thisprior identification means.

In another prior arrangement, the identifying legend is photographicallyprinted, in the darkroom, upon a reserved blocked area of a previouslyX-ray exposed film. In the darkness, it is difficult to assure properlocation of the legend upon the reserved areaof the film and alsodifficult to properly control the light employed in contact printing ofthe legend on the film. Moreover, as the application of the legend isoften done by a person other than the one who made the exposure, and isdone at a different time, the danger exists that the applied legend willnot be one which correctly identifies the subject photographed.

The objects of this invention, as generalized in the foregoing abstractof the disclosure and as detailed in the following description, are toprovide improved highly economical identification means which preventthe application of wrongful legends to films, are easily and quicklyutilized, minimize the danger of lead poisoning, give sharp contrast inthe indicia applied to the film to make said indicia easily readable,are usable both with currently used cassettes and currently used indiciacarrier devices, and yield various other improvements overidentification means hitherto employed.

THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a more or less conventionalindicia carrier with a preferred embodiment of X-ray film identificationmeans associated therewith according to the present invention; someportions being broken away to show underlying parts.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an indicia strip constituting apart of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view of said carrier,substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 1; the carrier being shown asassociated with a fragmentarily indicated Cassette.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged, sectional view of the indicia strip ofFIG. 3.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are greatly enlarged, sectional views of modified forms ofindicia strips.

The thicknesses of materials shown in F165. 4 7 are exaggerated tofacilitate illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A fragmentarily indicated X-ray film cassette 10 isillustrated in upright position with its flat front face 10f facing aradiation source symbolically indicated at 12. Suitably held in placeupon the cassettes front 10f, is an indicia carrier in the form of aframe 14, preferably formed of sheet aluminum.

Identifying indicia associated with the carrier 14 are thus in positionto impose upon the film in the cassette a proper identification of theperson or thing being photographed simultaneously with the taking of thephotograph.

It is common practice for lead letters 16 and/or numbers to bepermanently fixed upon the carrier 14; such permanent lead letters, forexample, being employed to indicate the name of a hospital and/ or aphysician. The indicia carrier 14 may be held in place on the cassette10 by substantially radio-transparent adhesive tape (not Shown).

The present invention is directed to the association with the carrier-14, of improved means by which characters will be imposed upon the film,upon such exposure, identifying the person, animal or object beingphotographed.

In practicing this invention according to FIGS. l-S, an indicia strip 18of X-ray absorbent material is prepared by having indicia characters 20punched out, by a suitable punching device, so that the strip has asuccession of open characters identifying the patient or object to bephotographed.

The thus prepared strip is then suitably applied in a proper positionupon the back of the carrier 14 as illustrated herein or alternatively,upon the front of the cassette 10. A simple way to apply the strip tothe carrier is by using suitable, substantially transparent adhesivetape or by employing strip material having an adhesive coating 22 on thefront face of the strip 18 to cause the latter to adhere to the carrier.The coating 22 is preferably of such character as to enable the strip 18to be peeled off the carrier and discarded after it has served itspurpose.

The indicia strip 18 is relatively thin and of such character as to beeasily over-penetrated by the radiation directed upon the person orobject being photographed, in which event the identifying characterswould not fomr in readily readable contrast or definition upon the film.

The just stated condition is overcome, within this invention, byapplying upon the front of the carrier 14, in substantial register withthe indicia strip 18, a filter or attenuation strip 24 of material ofsufficient X-ray absorbency to prevent the men tioned over-penetrationand to enable the strip 18 to impose readily readable indicia upon thefilm.

The natures of the materials of the filter 24 and the indicia strip 18,and of the thicknesses and other relative characteristics thereof aresomewhat variable within this invention as is hereinafter explained.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, as illustrated in FIGS.l-S, the attenuation strip 24 is of copper, and the indicia strip 18 isa plastic tape of polyvinyl chloride within which, during manufacturethereof, is uniformly dispersed, finely pulverized tin, the presence ofwhich is indicated at 26.

Using X-ray photography of the human body for illustrative purposes, ithas been found that,irrespective of the part of the body beingphotographed, the indicia strip 18 should preferably be of a thicknessapproximately equivalent, in X- ray absorption, to the absorptioncapability of a thickness of about 0.18 millimeter of solid tin. Thethickness and, hence,

the X-ray absorption characteristic of the filter 24 should preferablycorrespond at least approximately to the absorption capability of thepart of the body being photographed.

, With an indicia strip 18 of the just indicated absorptioncharacteristic, it has been found that over-penetration of said stripmay be avoided, where the torso is being photographed, by providing thatthe attenuation strip 24 be of solid copper of a substantially uniformthickness of approximately 0.60 to 0.65 millimeters.

When photographing the human skull, wherein stronger radiation orradiation of longer duration is required for good results, the thicknessof the copper attenuation strip 24 is preferably increased to providestronger filtration for the radiation imposed upon the indicia strip 18.Thus, when the skull is being photographed, the more or less normallyused 0.60 to 0.65 millimeter attenuation strip 24 may be removed fromcarrier 14 by sliding it lengthwisely from between the flanges 28 whichhold the latter strip in place on the indicia carrier; and a substitutethicker copper attenuation strip may be slid into place between saidflanges. This substitute copper strip should preferably be of athickness ofapproximately 0.95 to 1.05 millimeter.

On the other hand, where weaker radiation or radiation of shorterduration is employed as, for example, when photographing a person'shand, the thickness of a substitute copper attenuation strip mayadvantageously be considerably thinner, preferably about.0.25millimeter.

The indicia strip 'shownat 18a in FIG. 6 may be employed in place of thestrip 18. The strip'l8a is of absorbent paper which is impregnated withsuitable X-ray absorbent material such as, for example, barium stannate,the presence of which is indicated at 30. The thickness of the thusimpregnated paper should be such that identifying indicia punched outtherefrom will cause the formation of a good contrast, readableidentification legend on the developedfilm. Thus, the impregnated papermay, advantageously, be of such thickness as to have approximately thesame X-ray absorbency as the plastic tape strip 18. I

The indicia strip shown at 18b in FIG. 7 may be employed in place ofeither of the strips 18 or 18a. The strip 18b is a lamination of a layerof tin foil 32, sandwiched fixedly between layers 34 of paper. Assumingthat the paper is of.

negligible X-ray absorbency, the tin foil 32 should preferably be about0.18 millimeter in thickness or of a thickness between 0.15 and 0.20millimeter.

The drawing indicates that the adhesive coating 22, if em-' ployed atall, may be employed on anyone of the strips 18, 18a, and 18b.

Those familiar with X-ray photography will readily perceive that, whileX-ray absorbency approximately equivalent to that of. a thickness ofabout 0.18 millimeter of solid tin is recommended for the indicia strip18, such absorbency of the latter strip maybe somewhat more or less thanindicated, provided that the absorbency of said strip is such that it,with punched out characters therein, will impose such radiation on thefilm that, when developed, the identification legend thereon will be inadequate contrast to be readily readable.

It will also be perceived that the X-ray absorbency of the attenuationstrip 24 should preferably beincreased or decreased substantially inaccordance with the increase or decrease of the imposed radiation.

It will also be realized that other X-ray absorbent materials than thosehereinbefore specified. Thus, in proper thicknesses for the suggestedattenuation of the radiation, this invention comprehends, for example,the possible use, also, of lead, antimony, or aluminum for theattenuation strip 24.

Although the X-ray absorbent media disclosed herein for the indiciastrips 18, 18a, and 18b appear to be the media best suited for anindicia strip, the use of other X-ray absorbent media for the latterpurpose may be employed within this invention.

thereof constituting identifying indicia, means for supporting.

said indicia strip at the front face of said cassette, a plurality ofselectively useable imperforate attenuation strips of sheet material allof different degrees of X-ray absorbency, and means for supporting anyselected one of said attenuation strips in fixed position in interferingalignment between said indicia strip and a source of radiographic X-rayradiation of sufficient strength and duration to pass through andradiograph said subject; said indicia strip being of X-ray absorbentmaterial of such relatively low X-ray absorbency as to be overpenetratedby said radiation being directed upon the subject being radiographed,and said selected attenuation strip being of such X-ray tion reachingthe indicia strip to acondition m which it is insufficient toover-penetrate the indicia strip.

2. X-ray film identification means for use in association with acassette for latently imposing identification indicia upon a film in thecassette simultaneously with the imposition on said film of a latentimage of a subject being radiographed; said identification meanscomprising a plurality of imperforate attenuation strips of differentdegrees of X-ray absorbency, a frame, non-shiftably disposable at thefront face of said cassette, a relatively thin indicia strip of X-rayabsorbent sheet material formed with removed areas thereof constitutingI identifying indicia, means for supporting said indicia strip on saidframe, and means for supporting any selected one of saidattenuationstrips in fixed position on said frame in interfering alignment betweensaid indicia strip and a source of X-ray radiation of sufficientstrength and duration to pass through and radiograph said subject; saidindicia strip being of X-ray absorbent material of such relatively lightX-ray absorbency as to be over-penetrated by said radiation, and theselected attenuation strip being of such X-ray absorbency as to reducethe radiation reaching the indicia strip to a condition in which it isinsufficient to over-penetrate the indicia strip.

3. Identification means according to claim 2, said indicia stripcomprising a sheet of X-ray absorbent material sandwiched between sheetsof paper.

4. Identification means according to claim 2, said indicia strip havingX-ray absorptiveness corresponding approximately to the X-rayabsorptiveness of solid tin of a thickness of about 0.15 to 0.20millimeter, and saidselected attenuation strip comprising sheet materialhaving X-ray absorptiveness corresponding approximately to the X-rayabsorptiveness of a subject to be radiographed.

i l i absorbency as to reduce the radiographic radia-

1. X-ray film identification means for use in association with acassette for latently imposing identification indicia upon a film in thecassette simultaneously with the imposition on said film of a latentimage of a subject being radiographed; said identification meanscomprising a relatively thin indicia strip of X-ray absorbent sheetmaterial formed with removed areas thereof constituting identifyingindicia, means for supporting said indicia strip at the front face ofsaid cassette, a plurality of selectively useable imperforateattenuation strips of sheet material all of different degrees of X-rayabsorbency, and means for supporting any selected one of saidattenuation strips in fixed position in interfering alignment betweensaid indicia strip and a source of radiographic X-ray radiation ofsufficient strength and duration to pass through and radiograph saidsubject; said indicia strip being of X-ray absorbent material of suchrelatively low X-ray absorbency as to be overpenetrated by saidradiation being directed upon the subject being radiographed, and saidselected attenuation strip being of such X-ray absorbency as to reducethe radiographic radiation reaching the indicia strip to a condition inwhich it is insufficient to over-penetrate the indicia strip.
 2. X-rayfilm identification means for use in association with a cassette forlatently imposing identification indicia upon a film in the cassettesimultaneously with the imposition on said film of a latent image of asubject being radiographed; said identification means comprising aplurality of imperforate attenuation strips of different degrees ofX-ray absorbency, a frame, non-shiftably disposable at the front face ofsaid cassette, a relatively thin indicia strip of X-ray absorbent sheetmaterial formed with removed areas thereof constituting identifyingindicia, means for supporting said indicia strip on said frame, andmeans for supporting any selected one of said attenuation strips infixed position on said frame in interfering alignment between saidindicia strip and a source of X-ray radiation of sufficient strength andduration to pass through and radiograph said subject; said indicia stripbeing of X-ray absorbent material of such relatively light X-rayabsorbency as to be over-penetrated by said radiation, and the selectedattenuation strip being of such X-ray absorbency as to reduce theradiation reaching the indicia strip to a condition in which it isinsufficient to over-penetrate the indicia strip.
 3. Identificationmeans according to claim 2, said indicia strip comprising a sheet ofX-ray absorbent material sandwiched between sheets of paper. 4.Identification means according to claim 2, said indicia strip havingX-ray absorptiveness corresponding approximately to the X-rayabsorptiveness of solid tin of a thickness of about 0.15 to 0.20millimeter, and said selected attenuation strip comprising sheetmaterial having X-ray absorptiveness corresponding approximately to theX-ray absorptiveness of a subject to be radiographed.